The Republican journal., 1887-10-27
HOW NOT TO DO IT.
Prentice milford Writes About the Cook
ing of Irish Moss.
special Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
SIAsCONsET, Nantucket, Oct 25.-The
beach here is strcwn with Irish moss. l had
beard it made blanc mango l dleamt of
blanc mango, The color Of snow, and E2ing at
times culinary III tendency, determined to
try it on. gathered half peck of moss. 1
washed it as clean as a man can wash any,
thing. Thcy told me to stew it in milk. I
stcwcd it in half a gallon of milk As it
stcwed it swellel l put it in the largest
saucepan l could find 1t swcllcd ovein1sich
for that saucepan. l reduced the quantity
to the waste of como milk Still i: :;y,clictl.
The more | stirred it the more It slowed and
the more it swellcd. 1t reminded me Of q
dish of village scandal, which the l,.;t, it is
agitated at tea tables and Dorcas st.,s!flt s,ci-
cites the more it grows The moss boiled at
last to Il pasty mass; the color of snow. it is
true, but the color of snow only after it
has lain a few hours in an inhabited pig pcn.
not ''thc beautiful snow l favored it with
some sugar and little rum. Il regret now tllc
rum l put in it; it was dead less Then I
dipped it out and put it in lnol,is After
using UP what molds there were, in the
house, found there was still more blame
mango; in fact more than ever in the sauce
pan 1t seemed to possess a wonderful quality
FOR evolving moro and moro out of itself
filed all the available tea cups in the hcuec,
and almost everything else that was hollow.
l speculated meanwhile on what IN c!,l1.lo,,5
quantity of this delicate food was drifting on
Nantucket's shores, and used only for
fertilizing the soil. You see | hadn't vet
tasted of my mess l served out one mold
for dinner. 1t didn't look savory or delicate
1t was muddy il color, with black specks il,
1t here and there, suggestive of dead flies
These were not dead flies. They were the
black roots of the moss, which | had not
chopped OF and which would not dissolve
Then tasted it. tasted Il small part of one
spoonful. That was enough That satisfied
me- l have had all | want Of slowed sea
weed, sugar and rum. l know not after this
what Others may ask, but as for ne give mo
liberty and death and rum without
the sea weed or sugar. However, I
gave my moss mess another trial.
Or rather, kept mold of it on tho
table, thinking my capricio;:s appetite
might take fancy to it. No Ii inclined
the other way. The very smell OF the thing
went against Inc. Lastly, l could not abide
its sight. | discharged the entire lot
tumbled thirty-two molls Of l;a!e mango.
in shape resembling about every hollow yes
Sci had in the house, into the s,,in barrel.
cooked, it seems, for Mr.. Folgers pigs. lIr.
Folger comes round daily and takes our table
refuse away. He is one of the Nantucket
Folgers and distant relative Of our former
secretary of the treasury. There are several
Folger families still on Nantucket. 1t is ono
of the principal industries Of the island to
produce Folgers as well as Collins and Star
bucks. There is plenty Of moss still On the
shore Plenty of fresh moss is daily washing
in. 1t is here free for every one that thirst
eth. But as for me l would not enter on nv
list Of friends, though graced with polished
manners and fine sense, the man who would
hccdlessly set before me mess of moss
PRENTICE MILFORD.